PM makes aerial survey of flood-hit Kurnool, Mahabubnagar

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Saturday once again conducted an aerial survey of the flood-hit areas in Andhra Pradesh.

The prime minister, who spent the night at the Raj Bhavan, left in a helicopter to survey the flood-affected districts of Mahabubnagar and Kurnool.

Singh, who flew over Krishna and Guntur districts Friday, saw the damage caused by the floods while flying over Mahabubnagar and Kurnool. He later left for an aerial visit of the flood-hit parts of neighbouring Karnataka.

Singh had Friday announced Rs.1,000 crore as advance assistance for Andhra Pradesh for relief and rehabilitation. He also assured that more aid would be provided and that money would not be a constraint for relief and rehabilitation works.

The floods caused by the Krishna river killed 65 people and affected over 1.7 million people in five districts of Andhra Pradesh. The floods, billed as the worst in 100 years, inundated 500 villages. Towns like Kurnool, Nandyal, Mantralayam, Alampur, Repalle and parts of Vijayawada city were also submerged.

The floods caused massive damage to public infrastructure, houses, agriculture and livestock. The initial estimates by the state government have put the damage at Rs.12,666 crore. It sought an immediate assistance of Rs.6,000 crore from the central government.